二刻拍案惊奇

A collection of short stories written in the early 17th century. The book features a variety of tales that explore themes of morality, justice, and the supernatural, often illustrated through the experiences of its characters, including monks and individuals entangled in societal issues. The opening of the work sets a reflective tone, incorporating literary allusions and philosophical musings about the nature of storytelling and the value of written words. It discusses the significance of preserving knowledge through texts, emphasizing the consequences of neglect and the fate of precious documents. The narrative then transitions to a specific incident involving a monk named 辨悟, who proposes selling a cherished manuscript, the ''金刚经,'' to address a food shortage in his temple. However, circumstances lead to a remarkable series of events that intertwine the fates of individuals connected to this manuscript, setting the stage for tales of moral choices and supernatural occurrences in the stories to follow.